On Tuesday, we took a look at the New York Yankees surprise acquisition of SS Hiroyuki Nakajima via a $2.5M positing bid — the lowest bid for a position player since 2000. Now, it sounds increasingly likely that the Yankees will explore trades for the 29-year-old infielder.

According to Ken Rosenthal, the Chicago Cubs and the San Francisco Giants are both interested in Nakajima, and — frankly — I am surprised there are not even more teams rather interested in one of Japan’s best hitting shortstops.

Rosenthal got some quotes from a rival scout that are somewhat illuminating on the defensive makeup of Nakajima:

“This kid wants to play baseball,” the scout said. “He’s not going to take Jeter’s place, but he’s capable of being an everyday shortstop in the big leagues.”

The scout projects Nakajima as a .270-.280 hitter who will drive in runs and use his instincts to steal bases, despite being a below-average runner. He lacks arm strength at short, but has great hands, very good range to his left and hangs in on the double play, the scout said.

So does Nakajima fit with the Cubs or Giants?
Read the rest of this entry »

Sean Burroughs familiarizes himself with local culture.

Assorted Headlines
Twins Sign Burroughs, Rivera, Walters
The Minnesota Twins have signed third baseman Sean Burroughs and right-hander P.J. Walters — and re-signed catcher Rene Rivera — reports Joe Christensen of the Star Tribune. The 31-year-old Burroughs, once a top prospect in the Padre system, made a return to affiliated baseball in 2011 after a three-year absence, netting 115 plate appearances with the Diamondbacks, although the 66 wRC+ (.305 BABIP) he posted isn’t particularly promising.

Read the rest of this entry »

It wasn’t dire for the Minnesota Twins to re-sign Michael Cuddyer. Instead of bringing back the former first round pick, the Twins have reportedly agreed to a deal with Josh Willingham. Terry Ryan can talk all he wants, but Willingham’s signing seems to indicate that Cuddyer will have to find a new team this off-season. While fans might be upset about losing one of their longest-tenured players, the Twins are better off allowing Cuddyer to test the waters elsewhere.

Read the rest of this entry »

“Why is he a good hitter?” That was my question for Clint Hurdle at the Winter Meetings, and I asked it four times. I queried the Pirates manager about two of his outfielders: Andrew McCutchen and Jose Tabata, and a pair of his infielders: Pedro Alvarez and Neil Walker. Here are his capsule scouting reports on each, plus a bonus question about data and video.

——

Hurdle on Andrew McCutchen: “Number one, he’s confident. He doesn’t feel that he’s ever out of a count. There is no panic with two strikes, and that’s one thing you look for in a hitter. After it’s strike two, is it strike three? A lot of it happens in a hurry. Andrew isn’t afraid to take a strike; he’s not afraid to take two. He’s usually looking for something to hit, until he gets to two strikes, and then he’s going to battle.

Read the rest of this entry »

Episode 115
If you’re the sort of person who likes baseball, comedy jokes, and smiles as bright as the sun, then you’re precisely the sort of person who will care — or already does care — deeply about Sam Miller of the OC Register. In this episode, Sam talks at some length about the effects of the Albert Pujols signing. Also discussed: why not to write a novel, lowered expectations.

Don’t hesitate to direct pod-related correspondence to @cistulli on Twitter.

You can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or other feeder things.

Audio after the jump. (Approximately 44 min. play time.)

Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

According to John Heyman (now at CBS Sports, apparently), Nick Punto has agreed to a 2 year, $3.0 million deal with the Boston Red Sox. The deal will also include $500k in incentives.

So remember that news earlier today about the Red Sox trading away Jed Lowrie to the Astros for reliever Mark Melancon? Now that all begins to make some sense. It’s not that trading Lowrie for Melancon was a bad deal for the Red Sox, as they were trading from a position of strength and they acquired a dominant reliever that should help the back end of their bullpen. It just…something didn’t feel right. It wasn’t like the Red Sox to trade away a young position player with upside for a reliever. It was an okay deal, but I’m used to seeing more from the Red Sox.

By signing Punto, though, everything comes into focus.

Read the rest of this entry »

For a time, Jed Lowrie was one of the ultimate Red Sox prospects, potentially the perfect shortstop of the future. On Wednesday, that fine dream ended as the Boston Red Sox dealt Lowrie to the Houston Astros along with Kyle Weiland in exchange for Mark Melancon. There are plenty of factors which went into this trade, as already covered — Lowrie has struggled with injuries and defense, the Red Sox need relief pitching with Jonathan Papelbon gone. But as great as any of the factors appears to be their shortstop of the present, who for the past three seasons has done about as much as anybody can ask from the position.

I am referring, of course, to Marco Scutaro. The incumbent Red Sox shortstop may not be a household name, but Scutaro ranks seventh in wRC+ at 104 and eighth in WAR at 9.8 among shortstops since 2009. The Red Sox expect more of the same in 2012, and that makes Jed Lowrie expendable.

Read the rest of this entry »

As they made their march to the NL West title in 2011, the Diamondbacks were basically a two-man show at the end of the game. David Hernandez developed into a solid workhorse setup man after being acquired from the Orioles in the Mark Reynolds trade, and J.J. Putz had his best season in four years as the closer. Joe Paterson got some work as the lefty specialist and Bryan Shaw was a nice boost late in the season, but for the most part it was Hernandez and Putz doing the heavy lifting in the eighth and ninth innings this past season.

In an effort to give those two some help, GM Kevin Towers agreed to sign veteran right-hander Takashi Saito to a one-year deal worth $1.75 million earlier this week, stealing him away from the Brewers team that knocked the D’Backs out of the NLDS. Saito has been electric in his six seasons in MLB, pitching to a 2.65 FIP with 10.74 K/9 (29.9 K%) and 2.84 BB/9 (7.9 BB%) in 326 innings spread across 322 games. He has experience both closing and setting up, and he doubles as a second lefty specialist (career 3.01 FIP vs. LHB) thanks to his filthy curveball-slider combo. It’s a very nice pickup for Arizona, but the soon-to-be 42-year-old Saito isn’t exactly risk free.

Read the rest of this entry »

By signing Kelly Shoppach the Boston Red Sox seem to be indicating that the Jason Varitek Era is at an end. Varitek was already a part-time player in Boston, mostly serving as the lesser half of a catcher platoon with fellow switch-hitter Jarrod Saltalamacchia in 2011. Saltalamacchia is sticking around, and Shoppach is also the right-handed half of a platoon. It appears that there is not really a reason for Varitek, who will turn 40 in April, to come back to Boston as a catcher (although apparently there is still some ambiguity about that), even if Ryan Lavarnway was not in waiting. Even a .300 wOBA hitter can be a useful catcher. Assuming Varitek still wants to play somewhere, does he have anything to offer any team at this point?

Read the rest of this entry »

The Astros are a team in need of rebuild and the Red Sox are a team in need of a quality reliever, so the two sides got together for a three-player trade on Wednesday. Right-handed reliever Mark Melancon is heading to Boston in exchange for righty Kyle Weiland and infielder Jed Lowrie.

Read the rest of this entry »